"The Great Sonny, Five Asian Cup Appearances" AFC Highlights 'Asia's Top Star'... Son Heung-min Aims for "Final Championship," "Can the 66th-Year-Old Dream Be Fulfilled?"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has identified Son Heung-min (34, LA FC) of the South Korean national football team as a player to watch ahead of the 2027 Saudi Arabia Asian Cup.

On the 17th, the AFC stated on its official website, "Son Heung-min is one of the great players in Asian football," adding, "This tournament will be his fifth and effectively final attempt at winning the Asian Cup."

Son Heung-min scored his first international goal against India at the 2011 Qatar tournament, where he participated as the youngest member of the squad at age 19. Subsequently, at the 2015 Australia tournament, he narrowly missed out on the title after a hard-fought extra-time battle against the host nation, while at the 2019 United Arab Emirates (UAE) tournament, his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals. In particular, at the 2023 Qatar tournament, which was evaluated as an opportune moment for victory given the historically strongest squad, he suffered a semifinal exit amid various controversies, including internal team discord and questions about the leadership of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

As he embarks on his final challenge to secure South Korea's first championship in 66 years, he continues to serve as the central figure and captain for the ninth consecutive year under the interim management of Robert Moreno. The AFC noted that "his influence remains significant despite being at the end of his playing career," while also highlighting his club achievements, including winning the Puskas Award during his time at Tottenham and triumphing in the UEFA Europa League (UEL).

However, Son Heung-min's "last dance" schedule has been shrouded in uncertainty due to deteriorating local conditions. The 2027 Asian Cup was scheduled to be held from January 7 to February 5 next year across three cities in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Qobar), but the normal hosting of the tournament is now uncertain following recent airstrikes by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

On the 10th, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport was hit by a missile attack, killing 13 people, and the airstrikes that continued until the 16th resulted in a total of approximately 350 casualties. Consequently, local tennis tournaments, e-sports tournaments, and Saudi professional football league schedules have been successively postponed.

AFC President Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa stated at the International Football Federation (FIFA) Council on the 15th, "We must monitor the local situation until the end of November," adding, "If necessary, we are also considering postponing the tournament by one year to 2028."

The Korea Football Association is also on high alert regarding the crisis surrounding the Asian Cup. It urgently needs to find alternative venues and opponents for the two-match away series in the Middle East that was being planned for November. Additionally, if the tournament is postponed by one year, there are concerns that the interim management of Moreno, who was set to lead the team until the finals, could end early after the November international matches.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original